Process and apparatus for treating photographic sheet materials with a processing fluid



Aug. 9, 1966 E. LAND 3,

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING PHOTOGRAPHIC SHEET MATERIALS WITH A PROCESSING FLUID 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 26, 1961 INVE TOR.

BY WW Ma. M ATTORNEYS Aug. 9, 1966 E. LAND 3,264,969

PROC- A APPARATUS FOR TREATING PHOTOGRAPHIC TERIALS WITH A PROCESSING FLUID 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 S ET Filed April 26, 1961 INVE TOR.

ATTORNEYS Aug. 9, 1966 E. LAN 3,264,969

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING PHOTOGRAPHIC SHEET MATERIALS WITH A PROCESSING FLUID Filed April '26, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIGH ATTORN EYS United States Patent PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING PHOTOGRAPHIC SHEET MATERIALS WITH A PROCESSING FLUID Edwin Land, Cambridge, Mass., assignor to Polaroid Corporation, Cambridge, Mass, a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 26, 1961, Ser. No. 105,758 15 Claims. (Cl. 95-89) This invention rel-ates generally to photography and more particularly to improved processes and apparatus for spreading a processing fluid on photographic sheet materials.

In the practice of diffusion-transfer photography as shown by Land in Patents 2,435,717, 2,435,718, 2,435,- 719, 2,520,641, 2,543,181 and 2,661,292, there are a number of different way-s in which an elongated strip of photographic sheet material may be either intermittently or continuously treated with a processing fluid wherein the over-all process is essentially a dry one; that is, the processing fluid is initially, provided within a container from which it is ejected only between a pair of contiguous sheets which thereafter confine the fluid until such time as the sheets are separated.

In general, such containers may be provided as an integral part of the sheet material to be treated, or as a rupturable pod attached thereto, or they may be provided as dispensing devices apart from the sheet material but including nozzles or valves for controlling feed of the fluid to the sheet material.

' The integral or attached type of container has many important advantages in the practice of diffusion-transfer photography, among which is the enhancement of achieving a truly dry over-all process, whethersuch process beperformed in a camera or otherwise. However, the cost of manufacturing the sheet material is materially increased with this type of container.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel container for a processing fluid used to treat photographic sheet material wherein the aforesaid important advantages of the integral or attached type of container are retained without, the attendant added manufacturing costs normally associated with such types of containers.

It is another object of the invention to provide new and novel methods of forming a processing fluid container during processing of photographic sheet materials.

It is still another object of the invention to provide new and novel photographic apparatus for treating photographic sheet material with a processing fluid.

Briefly, in one aspect thereof, the invention comprises a process and apparatus for shaping at least one of two superposed sheet materials as they move in a predetermined direction relative to a predetermined point along their path of travel whereby a processing fluid container is continuously formed between the sheets into which processing fluid may be ejected from an edge of the sheets. By ejecting the processing fluid under suitable pressure, the shaping of the sheet or sheets will be primarily a function of the fluid, and the two sheets, together with the confined fluid, will constitute a dynamic pod from which the processing fluid may be spread as a layer on one or both of the traveling sheets.

The invention accordingly comprises the process involving the several steps and the relation and order of one or more of such steps with respect to each of the others, and the apparatus possessing the construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and

the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

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For a fuller understanding'of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed descriptions taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a generally schematic cutaway view, partly in section and partly in elevation, illustrating one form of the invention as a part of a self-developing camera; and

FIG. 2 is another view of the invention shown in FIG- URE 1, partly in section and partly in elevation, with the lower pair of rolls shown in FIGURE 1 omitted for the sake of clarity; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, exploded, perspective view of a portion of the structure shown in FIGURES 1 and 2; and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing another portion of the structure shown in FIGURES 1 and 2; and

FIG. 5 is a partial, generally schematic, perspective view of another form of the invention; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged section view taken along the lines of 6-6 in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a partial, generally schematic, perspective View of still another form of the invention; and

FIG. 8 is another view of a portion of the structure shown in FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is a generally schematic view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of still another form of the invention; and

FIG. 10 is a partial, enlarged perspective view of the invention shown in-FIGURE 1; and

FIG. 11 is an enlarged, partial sectional view of the form of the invention shown in FIG. 9.

Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIGURES 1 to 4 inclusive, and FIGURE 10, the invention is first seen as embodied in a self-developing camera which may be of the type shown in Land Patent No. 2,435,717 and Carbone et al. Patent No. 2,455,111, and comprises a camera body 11 having a recessed front portion 12 in which is mounted a conventional extensible bellows 13, to the outer end of which (not shown) may be attached the usual lens and shutter assembly, there also being a suitable erecting mechanism for extending and retracting the bellows as desired.

The camera also includes a hinged rear section 14, pivotally mounted on one end of the camera body, as at 15, and cooperating with the camera body at the other end thereof to form an opening 16 through which photographic sheet material carried within the camera may be Withdrawn, as desired.

The camera body 11 is arranged to carry a supply of photographic sheet material in the form of a pair of separately mounted rolls of sheet material 17, 18 which, for simplicity, may be described as the negative and positive rolls, respectively. As shown, the two rolls are mounted within the camera body at opposite ends thereof, such that the negative roll 17 may be unrolled and positioned across the inner end of bellows 13 in position for photoexposure, after which the exposed surface is placed in superposition with a surface of positive roll 18, the front and rear sections of the camera being spaced apart to form a suitable slot 19 adjacent the positive roll, through which the superposed sheets may pass in their travel through the camera.

Mounted adjacent to the slot 19 is the novel fluid con- 3,264,969 Patented August 9, 1966 may pass between them easily, but at the same time the rolls will exert suflicient pressure on opposite surfaces of the sheet materials so as to squeeze them together continuously as they travel past the rolls, for a purpose to be more fully described hereinafter. The rolls 21, 22 may be suitably biased toward one another, to establish plroper pressure on the outer surfaces of the superposed s eets.

Rolls 23, 24 may be of the same diameter as rolls 21, 22 and are spaced apart a slightly greater distance than the space between rolls 21, 22 so that when the superposed negative and positive sheets pass therebetween, a very slight spacing may exist between inner surfaces of the sheets. Rolls 23, 24 may also be biased toward one another to establish proper pressure on the outer surface of the sheets.

Rolls 21 and 23 may be mounted on the hinged rear section 14, whereas rolls 22 and 24 may be mounted within camera body 11 to allow separation of the rolls upon opening of the camera back and threading of the negative and positive sheets therebetween, all in a known manner.

Cooperating with the four rolls are a pair of edgeclamping devices shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 respectively, and generally indicated as assemblies 25, 26.

Considering first assembly 26, and also referring to FIG. 2, it is seen that this assembly is mounted within the camera body adjacent to the ends of the four rolls, and comprises a pair of U shaped members 27, 28, the latter of which is smaller than the former and arranged to be mounted in a nesting relationship within the larger one. Each of the U shaped members may be formed of a suitable sheet metal and has a plurality of identical, slightly elongated slots 29 through which suitable machine screws 31 may be inserted to mount the nested U shaped members within the camera body. The elongated slots 29 allow for limited motion of the assembly in a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the photographic sheet materials. The members 27, 28 are adjustable relative to each other by means of the screw 32 carried by the member 27 and threadably engaging member 28 at threaded aperture 33. A spring 34 surrounds the shank of this screw 32 and lies between the two U shaped members and is initially inserted therebetween under compression, so that the contiguous sheet clamping legs 35, 36 are urged together when the members are assembled in nested relationship.

As is seen in FIG. 2, the sheet materials 17, 18 are wider than the four rolls and extend for some distance beyond each end of the rolls. At one. end of the rolls, the edges of the sheets pass between the legs 35, 36, and with the screw 32 adjusted properly, the legs 35, 36 will serve as clamping members, squeezing the outer edges of the sheets together as they move relative to the clamping device.

At the other end of the rolls there is mounted the edgeclamping assembly 25 which comprises the U shaped members 37, 38 mounted together and within the camera body in a manner identical to the arrangements discussed above in connection with clamping member 26. Like numbers have been used for these identical arrangements and need not further be described herein. However, there is one important difference between the clamping assemblies, and that is in theconfiguration of the clamping legs 39, 41. As seen in FIG. 3, the central portion of each of these legs is curved outwardly, away from each other, at 42 and 43 respectively, to form therebetween a space having a generally elliptical cross-sectional configuration. Attached to U shaped member 37 is a short conduit 44 located approximately in the middle of the space between the clamping legs 39, 41.

As with the clamping assembly 26, the edges of the sheets 17, 18 are engaged between the clamping legs 39, 41, but it is only the opposite end portions of these legs 4 that serve as clamping members tosqueeze the outer edges of the sheets together as they move relative to the clamping assembly. In the center portion of clamping legs 39, 41, the sheets are separated and pass on opposite sides of the conduit 44.

In order to thread the edges of the sheets between the clamping legs of each of the clamping devices, the rear section 14 is opened, carrying with it the rolls 21, 23 to thus expese the clamping members and permit insertion of the sheets between the clamping legs. To facilitate this insertion, the screws 31 and 32 may be loosened slightly to allow relative motion to occur between the U shaped members of each of the clamping assemblies, such that the edges of the sheets may be easily inserted between the clamping legs. Once this is accomplished, the screws may be tightened enough to hold the clamping assemblies securely in place within the camera body and at the same time establish the proper pressure on the outer surfaces of the edges of the sheets. With the edges of the sheets thus engaged by the clamping members, the rear section 14 may be closed, bringing the rolls 21, 23 to their proper position, and with a short section of the superposed sheets extending through the opening 16, the camera will be ready for operation.

As with the camera shown in Land Patent No. 2,435,- 717, the negative sheet 17 carries on one of its surfaces a photosensitive emulsion and will be exposed in a conventional manner, after which a surface of the positive sheet 18 is brought into superposition with exposed area of sheet 17 by pulling on the ends of the two sheets protruding from camera opening 16. During movement of the sheets, they will be treated with a fluid processing composition as the sheets move relative to the rolls 21-24, inclusive.

In order to treat the superposed sheets with a fluid processing composition, a needle member 45, similar to a hypodermic needle, is inserted through conduit 44 to extend for a distance between the superposed sheets. A

fluid processing composition, maintained under suitable pressure, will be ejected from a suitable container by the needle 45, between the sheets, as the sheets move relative to the fluid treating and' spreading assembly. The fluid will be under enough hydraulic pressure so that the fluid within the sheets will develop suflicient force on the inner surfaces of the sheets as to deform them as they pass between the pairs of rolls. The action of the fluid on the sheets will thus shape them into a fluid container and allow the fluid to extend across the sheets for the full width of the exposed portion of sheet 17. The rolls 21, 22, together with the clamping assemblies 25, 26,

will cooperate with the sheets to form fluid seals extending transversely across the sheets between the rolls 21, 22 and thence along the edges of the sheets beyond the rolls 23, 24. This fluid seal will be in the nature of a dynamic seal in that it will be formed continuously as successive portions of the superposed sheet materials move relative to the pairs of rolls. In a preferred form of the invention, the processing fluid will be in the nature of a viscous liquid of the type shown in Land Patent No. 2,647,056, and with the slight spacing allowed between the sheets as they pass between rolls 23, 24, the processing fluid will adhere to the inner surfaces of the sheets and pass along with the sheets as they move beyond the rolls 23, 24. Moreover, since the fluid is viscous and the superposed sheets are moving when the fluid is between them, there will be no tendency for the fluid to escape through the dynamic seal and the processing of the sheet materials will be essentially dry, i.e., the outer surfaces of the sheet materials will remain dry, as will the four rolls and adjacent camera parts. The invention is also usable with the photographic materials and processes shown in Land Patent No. 2,662,822.

The sheet materials 17, 18 may comprise the paper base negative sheet and the baryta paper positive sheet shown in Land Patent No. 2,647,056, or any other sheet materials suitable for diflusion-transfer photography provided such sheet materials are sufiiciently flex-ible to permit shaping of the sheet or sheets required to form the dynamic pod.

Ordinarily, the sheets 17, 18, after passing through the rolls 23, 24, may enter an imbibition chamber of the type shown in the aforesaid Carbone et al. patent, but for the schematic showing of the camera in FIGURE 1, the sheets are shown as passing out of the camera, in the interests of simplicity and brevity. Even this type of arrangement is quite feasible if the outer surfaces of the sheet materials are sufliciently opaque to prevent transmission of actinic light to the treated surfaces prior to completion of the imbibition period. With such a construction of the sheet materials, and a suitable opaque material dispersed in the processing fluid of the type shown in the copending application of E. H. Land, Serial No. 537,349, filed September 29, 1955, the treated sandwich will be sufficiently light-sealed to permit imbibition following withdrawal from the camera. Alternatively, the positive and negative sheets could have the aforesaid opaque backings, and edge sealing means could be arranged immediately adjacent opening 16 in the manner shown in Land Patent No. 2,435,720. In either arrangement, imbibition of the treated sandwich occurs outside of the camera, upon completion of which the sheets are stripped apart.

Positive sheet 18 may comprise an image-receiving sheet of the type shown in the aforesaid Land patents, in which event a positive print is obtained upon separation of the negative and positive following completion of the imbibiti-on period. Moreover, it may take the form of the composite laminated receiving sheet shown in McCune Patent No. 2,612,452, in-which event the positive print is torn from the treated sandwich without requiring separation of the positive and negative sheets.

Or positive sheet 18 may not be an image-forming sheet but may be employed solely to assist in spreading the processing fluid on the exposed negative sheet 17. In this event, a negative may be produced in a known manner, usable after completion of imbibition upon separation from sheet 18. No matter what precise form the negative and positive sheets take, they could be initially provided as a composite assembly of the type shown in Land Patent No. 2,579,587 except, of course, with the omission of the rupturable processing fluid container forming part of the composite assembly shown in the aforesaid Land patent. Each sheet would have a leader portion to allow initial superposition of the sheets upon insertion within the camera, a portion of the leader extending through opening 16 to allow for proper manipulation of the sheets. The negative leader would be long enough to initially extend across the inner opening of bellows 13 so that the photosensitive portion thereof would remain tightly rolled up during handling of the film when inserting same in the camera. The arrangement of film materials shown in Wolff Patent No. 2,630,- 385 is particularly advantageous when such film materials are employed with a camera of the type shown in the aforesaid Carbone et a1. patent.

In addition, the opening 16 may be normally covered by a pivotally mounted cutter bar of the type shown in the aforesaid Carbone et al. patent to allow for successive severing of the processed sheet materials as they are withdrawn from the camera. A short section of the superposed sheets will always protrude through opening 16 to allow for withdrawal of the sheets.

Considering again the fluid-ejecting needle 45, a suitable valve may be interposed between the needle and the processing fluid container to provide a means of regulating fluid flow, as desired. The processing fluid may be supplied from a pressurized container of the well-known push-button type widely used for dispensing various kinds of fluids, and the camera body could easily be designed to provide a receptacle for such a container, which could 6 also be provided with a factory-installed needle and valve. Such a container could be designed to accommodate any desired number of exposures; viz., with rolls of sheet material 17, 18 provided in suitable lengths for taking eight 7 pictures, the container would have suflicient processing fluid to treat the eight exposed sections of the negative. The valve could be arranged to open automatically upon movement of the negative and positive following exposure to allow a predetermined quantity of processing fluid to flow through needle 45 after which the valve could automatically close and remain closed until the next exposure is taken and processed. Or, the camera could be provided with a push-button controlled by the camera used to regulate the valve, as desired. With either arrangement, the container and its associated valve and needle would be thrown away after processing a roll of film, and replaced by a new container, valve and needle assembly upon insertion in the camera of a fresh supply of positive and negative sheet material. Or, the container could be designed to accommodate more than one roll of positive and negative sheet material, in which event a suitable counter could form a part of the camera to indicate the number of rolls processed.

No matter how many exposures the container is designed to accommodate, the valve would preferably close prior to cessation of pulling the superposed sheets through one processing cycle. By having the valve closed in this manner, all of the processing fluid within the dynamic pod would be used up, leaving essentially no processing fluid between the sheets in the region of needle 45 upon completion of one processing cycle. Additionally, opening of the valve will be coordinated with pulling of the sheets so that initiation of processing fluid ejection will occur at the proper time during a processing cycle. In the case of an automatic system, a suitable cam could be arranged to rotate when the superposed sheets are pulled through the camera, the cam when rotating controlling opening and closing of the valve through a suitable cam follower responsive to cam motion. Obviously, the total length of sheet material required to be pulled through the camera for one processing cycle will be correlated to the cycle of the processing fluid ejection system as well as the desired exposure area and the necessary leader length required for pulling the negative sheet from the exposure position through the complete processing cycle and thence out of the camera.

With the edge-clamping assembly 25, it is apparent that some separation of the sheets 17, 18 is initially provided at one edge thereof when the superposed sheets are arranged on opposite sides of conduit 44. At the other edge of the sheets, there is no such initial separation and the processing fluid must be under sufficient pressure to flow across the sheets, greatly increasing the separation between the sheets to the limits permitted by the structure and shaping the sheets as it travels, until it reaches the limits of the surfaces to be treated but without extending beyond these limits any appreciable amount to create leak-age problems at the edges of the sheets held together by the clamping assembly 26. Since the needle 45 extends beyond the edge of the sheets held together by clamping assembly 26, and the processing fluid is ejected from the tip of the needle toward the other edge of the sheets,'the processing fluid will not back up too rapidly in the region of the needle and thus will not create any leakage problems at this edge. Preferably, the rate of travel of the superposed sheets will not vary too much so that the pressure of the processing fluid and its rate of ejection may be so correlated to such rate of'travel and the width of the sheets 17, 18 as to provide a layer of uniform thickness evenly over the portions of the surfaces of the sheets to be treated. Also, since the sheets are moving as the processing fluid is being ejected, and the fluid is viscous in nature, there will be little or no tendency for the fluid to creep into the edge portions of the sheets to cause leakage problems. It has been found 7 that a pressure of 10 to 15 pounds per square inch gage is appropriate for the processing fluid when the sheets are pulled at the rate of /3 inch per second.

Desirably, and as heretofore mentioned, the quantity of processing fluid ejected between the sheets is just enough to treat a given area thereof so that upon completion of said treatment there is little or no processing fluid remaining between the sheets in the region of the needle 45.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, there is shown another form of the invention in which the four rolls are replaced by a pair of cooperating troughlike members 46, 47, each of which has leading and trailing slightly rounded lip portions 48, 49, and 51, 52, respectively, between which pass the superposed sheets 17, 18.

At each end of the troughlike members there are cooperating edge-sealing members 53, 54, and 55, 56, respectively, which, when the members 46 and 47 are adjacent one another, engage the outer surfaces of the opposite edge portions of the sheets to hold them together and prevent escape of processing fluid therebetween. The members 53, 55 are flat and thus engage the edge portions of the sheets in a manner similar to the clamping legs of clamping assembly 26. The members 54, 56 are provided with internal recesses 57, 58, respectively, which constitute extensions of the trough portions of members 46, 47 and provide a space in which is mounted a conduit 59. Surrounding the base of conduit 59 is a collar 61 having a configuration identical to the configuration formed by the mating troughlike portions of members 46, 47, the collar resting against a shoulder 62 which extends upwardly from the edge-sealing portion 56. The configuration of the trough members is shown in FIG. 6 to be that of a substantially flat ellipse.

' The trough member 47 may be rigidly attached to a portion of a self-developing camera of the type discussed in connection with FIGURE 1 and the member 46 may be pivotally mounted with respect'to member 47, portions of the pivotal supports being shown respectively at 63,64. A spring member 65 may be used to bias the members 46, 47 when they are together, such that the necessary pressure is exerted by these members on the outer surfaces of the sheets 17, 18 as they pass between them. The sheets 17, 18 are represented by the dotted lines in FIG. 5 and it is seen that at one end, the edges of the sheets pass between the flat surfaces of edgesealing members 53, 55. At the other end, the edge portions of the sheets pass on opposite sides of the conduit 59 but at the leading and trailing edges of edge-sealing members 54, 56, the flat surface of each member engages the outer surfaces of the sheets and holds them together, both before and after they are separated by the conduit *59.

In the use of this form of the invention, trough member 46 is moved away from trough member 47 and the superposed sheets are moved over the trough member 47 with the conduit 59 extending between the adjacent edge portions of sheets 17, 18. The trough member 46 is then brought into contact with the outer surface of one of the sheets and the assembly is then ready for treatment of the inner surfaces of the sheets with a processing fluid. As with the arrangement shown in FIGURE 1, a needle similar to needle 45 may be inserted through conduit 59 and the processing fluid ejected between the sheets from the inner end of the needle. As with the arrangement shown in FIGURE 1, the pressure of the processing fluid will be of sufficient magnitude as to cause the fluid to flow to the opposite edges of the sheets and at the same time separate the sheets to provide the dynamic fluid container between them. The lips 48, 51, and portions of the abutting surfaces of members 53, 55, and 54, 56, respectively, will effectively seal the sheets along these portions of the sheets, and the lips 49, 52 will be spaced apart a sufficient amount to both apply pressure to the outer surfaces of the sheets and at the same time provide a gap between the sheets to allow for spreading of the processing fluid as a layer between the sheets as they move relative to the members 46, 47.

The sheets 17, 18 and the processing fluid, as well as the container and associated parts for feeding the processing fluid, may be as discussed in connection with the arrangement of FIGURE 1. In using the arrangement of FIG. 5 to process sheet material having a width of approximately 3 it has been found that the maximum separation of the sheets need only be'%;", with trough members that measure from front to back, in the direction of travel of the sheets. The trough members. may be formed of stainless steel or some similar highly polished material.

Still another form of the invention is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 wherein four rolls are used in a manner similar to the arrangement shown in FIGURE 1 but in cooperation with a different type of edge-sealing device. As with FIGURE 1, the rolls may be designated as rolls 21, 22 (not shown), 23 and 2-4, cooperating with sheets 17, 18 and having .an edge-sealing device 66mounted adjacent an end of the rolls. The edge-sealing device 66 is shown in FIG. 8 as comprising a molded plastic member having an enlarged central portion 67, provided with an aperture 68, through which may be inserted an ejecting needle 69, the interior of the member 66 being provided with appropriately shaped grooves 71, 72 for guiding and confining the edge portions of the sheets 17, 18. At the extreme tips of device 66, the outer walls thereof squeeze together the edge portions of the sheets, whereas within these portions, the sheets are guided on opposite sides of needle 69 by the grooves 71. At the other edge of the sheets 17, 18, a similar edge-sealing device may be used, into which may also be inserted a fluid-ejecting needle, such that processing fluid is fed between the sheets simultaneously at opposite ends thereof, or the other edgesealing device could be substantially identical to member 66 except that the aperture 68 and needle 69 would be omitted, thus providing for feeding of the processing fluid from one edge only, or the other device could be simply a U-shaped plastic member of uniform cross section throughout its length, having a single groove through which the edge portions of the sheets would pass as the sheets move relative to the rolls.

In FIG. 7 the needle 69 is shown connected to a pressurized container 73, there being a suitable valve 74 interposed between the needle and the container. The container 73 and valve 74 may be of the type discussed in connection with FIGURE 1.

As with the other embodiments of the invention discussed above, the processing fluid and the sheet materials may take the forms previously mentioned, with the rolls 21, 23 arranged to be separated from the fixedly mounted rolls 22, 24 and the edge-clamping devices, so that the invention in this form is readily usable as part of a selfdeveloping camera.

Although all of the embodiments of the invention heretofore discussed have been shown as forming a part of a self-developing camera, it is readily apparent that the invention has equal application in a processing device which may or may not include the step of photo-exposing the negative sheet material; that is, in place of exposing the negative sheet material, such material could be supplied in the form of fully exposed rolls which could then be converted into negative or positive prints, or both, with the use of the present invention.

Also, the invention is useful for either intermittent or continuous processing since the dynamic pod is substantially self-cleaning, that is, the processing fluid within the sheets is used up at the completion of each processing 1 cycle, any portions of the sheet materials having fluid therebetween being beyond the fluid treating and spread ing device at the end of each processing cycle. Should such fluid become dry prior to the next processing cycle and cause the sheets to stick together,- the adhered surfaces will not in any way interfere with subsequent movement of the sheets relative to the treating and spreading device. For intermittent use, the needle 45 may be easily removed and cleaned should there be any tendency for the processing fluid to dry up within the needle and obstruct or block the needle passage. Furthermore, a special valve could be used in the fluid-ejection system to blast a small amount of pressurized gas through the needle near the end of the processing cycle so that any fluid tending to remain in the needle will be ejected therefrom and pass beyond the spreading device just prior to the end of movement of the sheets.

Referring now to FIG. 9, still another form of the invention is shown as applied to a photographic copying machine comprising essentially a two-part housing 75 having a top section 76 pivotally mounted on bottom section 77 at one corner thereof, as at 78. Suitably mounted within the bottom section is a roll of photographic sheet material 79 on a surface of which is made a reproduction of printed matter or the like contained in the document 81 or similar article which is intended to be copied by the copying machine.

In the top section 76 there is mounted a light source 82 which may be tubular in shape, extending transversely with respect to the sheet material 79 for at least the full width thereof. Light source 82 is mounted within .a fixed opaque sleeve 83 which may have its inner surface treated to form a reflecting surface for light source 82. An exposure aperture is provided in the fixed sleeve 83 by means of a, slot 84, extending transversely with respect to the photographic sheet material 79. Surrounding the sleeve 83 and rotatably mounted with respect thereto, is a transparent drum 85 which, upon rotation, serves to aid in the movement of the photographic sheet and document through the copying machine.

Additional driving means for the sheetand document are shown in the form of driving rolls 86 and 89. These rolls and the transparent drum may all be connected to a suitable driving motor, to rotate in unison and provide the necessary means for moving the sheet material 79 and document 81 through the complete copying cycle. Idler rolls 87, 88 are provided to facilitate holding the sheet and document against the drum 85. A groove 91 is provided in the top section 76 for receiving the document to be copied, and this groove extends into another groove 92, formed between the top and bottom sections, through which the document 81 and the photographic sheet material 79 may move in superposition. The superposed sheet materials will thus travel around the drum 85, past the exposure aperture 84, and thence to the other end of the copying machine, the two sheets being separated as they leave the drum, with the document 81 passing out a second groove 93 formed in the top section 76, and the exposed sheet material 79 passing along a groove 94 formed between the top and bottom sections of the copying machine.

In order to treat the exposed photographic sheet material with a suitable processing fluid, a fluid treating and spreading device, similar to that shown in FIGS. and 6, is provided within a recess 99 formed between the top and bottom sections. This device comprises upper and lower troughlike members 80 and 90, respectively, providing the pairs of spaced pressure-applying lip portions 95, 96, and 97, 98, respectively. As with the arrangement shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the troughlike members provide there-between a cavity having a cross-sectional configuration in the form of a flattened ellipse, and at one end of these members there is arranged a fluid-ejecting nozzle 100 which also has a cross-sectional configuration in the form of a flattened ellipse. The nozzle 100 is connected via a suitable passage 103 to a container 4, providing a reservoir of processing fluid, maintained under a suitable pressure.

In' order. to confine the processing fluid as it is ejected from the nOZZle onto photographic sheet 79, a second sheet is provided in the form of an endless belt 101 which in this form of the invention serves only to aid in the spreading of the processing fluid as a uniform layer on the photographic sheet 79. A plurality of driving rolls 102 is mounted in top section 76, around which the endless belt 101 is adapted to travel. The belt may be formed of a suitable material to which the processing fluid does not adhere which, for example, may comprise a polyethylene terephthalate belt, sold by E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., under the trademark Mylar.

It is seen that the belt 101 travels in superposition with the photographic sheet 79, both before and after it passes through the fluid treating and spreading device. As the superposed sheets pass through the fluid treating and spreading device, the opposite edge portions are clamped by the edge-sealing portions of the members 80 and 90 in a manner similar to that discussed in connection with FIGS. 5 and 6, and at one edge of the sheets they are separated by the nozzle 100 and pas-s on opposite sides thereof. As best shown in FIG. 11, the nozzle protrudes a short distance within the cavity formed between the troughlike members, approximately to the edge of the surface of the sheet 79 which is to be treated by the processing fluid ejected from the nozzle. The processing fluid is under sufficient pressure to travel across the sheets to the opposite edge and, while traveling, the fluid will shape the space between the sheets into a cavity, thus providing a dynamic pod from which processing fluid will adhere as a layer on sheet 79 as it passes between lip portions 97, 98.

In order to conveniently thread the sheet material 79 through the fluid spreading and treating device, the trough member 80, as well as belt 101 and its associated rollers 102, will be mounted in the top section 76, with the trough member mounted in the bottom section 75. With this arrangement the top section need only be opened, after which the sheet material 79 may be pulled across the trough member 90 and one edge thereof passed under the nozzle 100. When the top section isclosed, the edge of belt 101 will automatically be positioned on the other surface of nozzle 100.

With the sheet material 79 thus threaded through the copying machine, document 81 may be copied simply by inserting it within groove 91 until it contacts drive roller 86, at which time, and assuming that the drive motor has been energized, the various drive rolls will carry the superposed sheets through the copying machine with the document coming out through the groove 93 and the exposed and developed sheet 79 coming out of the opening provided between the top and bottom sections of the copier.

In this form of the invention, the photographic sheet material 79 and the processing fluid may be of the type shown in Land Patent No. 2,653,527 wherein the single sheet 79 serves both as a negative and a positive.

Although the sheet 79 is shown emerging directly from the copying machine after passing through the fluid treating and spreading device, the various expedients mentioned in connection with the arrangement of FIGURE 1 may be used to prevent light from reaching the processing sheet prior to completion of the imbibition period. Alternatively, the length of the exit passage prior to emerging from the copying machine, as well as the rate of movement of the sheet 79, may be selected to provide completion of imbibition prior to emergence of the sheet from the copying machine.

Although the copying machine is shown as a transmit-' ting copier, that is, exposure is through the document 81 onto the photosensitive surface of the sheet 79, it is to be understood that suitable rearrangements could be made in the manner of exposing the sheet 79 in order to copy by the reflex method of copying, as well as the transmission method shown in FIG. 9.

From the above, it is apparent that in the various forms of the invention illustrated, the pressure of the processing fluid causes separation of the superposed surfaces as they travel past the fluid-ejecting means, with the rolls and edgeclamping assemblies or the troughlike members, whichever the case may be, providing pressure on the outer surfaces of the separated sheets to constrain separation of the inner surfaces within desired limits so that a properly shaped dynamic fluid-receiving cavity is established.

Since certain changes may be made in the above process and apparatus without departing from the scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description (or shown in the accompaying drawings) shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. The method of spreading a processing fluid on a first surface of a first sheet of photographic material comprising the steps of: superposing said first surface with a surface of a second sheet material; moving said superposed sheets along a predetermined path in a predetermined direction; physically separating said sheets at adjacent edge portions thereof by an amount sufiicient to permit the introduction therebetween of a processing fluid; greatly expanding the distance between said sheets by forcing a pressurized processing fluid between said physically separated edge portions to form a fluid-filled cavity between said sheets; and causing portions of said fluid to adhere as a layer to successive portions of said first surface as said sheets move relative to said point.

2. The method of spreading a processing fluid on a first surface of a first sheet of photographic material comprising the steps of: superposing said first surface with a surface of a second sheet material; moving said superposed sheets along a predetermined path in a predetermined direction; as said sheets move, at a predetermined point along said path, continuously providing a region of limited separation between adjacent edge portions of said sheets; injecting a quantity of a processing fluid under externally applied pressure between said superposed sheets and within said region of limited separation to form a fluid-filled cavity between said sheets, said fluid as it is injected between said sheets causing said sheets to separate in a direction extending transversely relative to the direction of movement of said sheets from the region of limited separation to the opposite abutting edges of said sheets; and causing portions of said fluid to adhere as a layer to successive portions of said first surface as said sheets move relative to said point.

3. The method of spreading a processing fluid on a predetermined area of a first surface of a first sheet of photographic material comprising the steps of: superposing said first surface with a surface of a second sheet material; moving said superposed sheets along a predetermined path in a predetermined direction; as said sheets move in superposition, squeezing together abutting portions thereof around a predeterminedly shaped perimeter of abutting areas of said sheets to continuously form a fluid-receiving container therebetween; said sheets being squeezed together along all portions of said perimeter except for a first portion which extends along said predetermined direction and a second portion which extends transversely to said predetermined direction and which provides a region of limited separation between said sheets; at said first portion, pumping a hydraulically pressurized processing fluid from an external source into the region of'limited separation between said sheets to greatly expand said container; causing portions of said fluid to adhere to said first surface and move with said first surface as a layer thereon, past said region of limited separation of said sheets; and continuing said movement until substantially all of said predetermined area of said first surface has a layer of fluid thereon.

4. The method of spreading a processing fluid on a predetermined area of a first surface of a first sheet of photographic material comprising the steps of: superposing said first surface with a surface of a second sheet material; moving said superposed sheets along a predetermined path in a predetermined direction; as said sheets move in superposition, squeezing together abutting portions thereof around a predeterminedly shaped perimeter of abutting areas of said sheets to continuously form a fluid-receivirig container therebetween; said sheets being squeezed together along all portions of said perimeter except for a first portion, proximate to an edge of said sheets, which extends along said predetermined direction, and a second portion which extends transversely to said predetermined direction and which provides a first region of limited separation between said sheets; hydraulically expanding said fluid-receiving container by injecting at said first portion a pressurized processing fluid between said sheets within said container to greatly expand the distance between said sheets at said region of separation proximate to said first region thereby forming a fluidfilled cavity; causing portions of said fluid to adhere to said first surface and move with said first surface as a layer thereon, beyond said first and second regions of limited separation; and continuing said movement until substantially all of said predetermined area of said first surface has a layer of fluid thereon.

5. The method of spreading a processing fluid on a first surface of a first sheet of photographic material comprising the steps of: superposing said first surface with a surface of a second sheet material; moving said superposed sheets along a predetermined path in a predetermined direction; as said sheets move, at a first predetermined point along said path, applying pressure to outer opposed surfaces of said superposed sheets between edge portions thereof along a first line extending transversely to said predetermined direction; enclosing opposite edge portions of each sheet as the superposed sheets advance from said first predetermined point to a second prede termined point along said path; at said second predetermined point, again applying pressure to outer opposed surfaces of said superposed sheets between edge portions thereof along a second line extending transversely to said predetermined direction to form a dynamic fluid-receiving container between said sheets and between said first and second predetermined points, said fluid-receiving container being substantially sealed along said edge portions of said sheets and along said first line but being open along said second line; and greatly expanding the distance between the sheets forming said container by forcing a quantity of a pressurized fluid into said container thereby causing said fluid to spread as a layer on said first surface as said superposed sheets are advanced beyond said second line.

6. Apparatus for spreading a processing fluid on a first surface of a firstphotographic sheet comprising, in combination: means for superposing said first surface with a surface of a second sheet; means for moving said superposed sheets along a predetermined path in a predetermined direction; first pressure-applying means located at a point along said path for contacting opposed outer surfaces of said superposed sheets along a first line extending transversely to the direction of said sheets; second pressure-applying means spaced apart from said first pressure-applying means in the direction of movement of said sheets for contacting opposed outer surfaces of said sheets along a second line extending transversely to the direction of movement of said sheets; third pressureapplying means located between said first and second pressure-applying means for contacting opposed outer surfaces of the opposite edge portions of said sheets at least between said first and second pressure-applying means and along a line extending in the direction of movement of said sheets; and means for feeding a processing fluid under pressure between said sheets from an edge thereof at a point between said first and second pressureapplying means, said fluid causing said sheets to separate along a region between said first and second pressureapplying means and extending transversely to the direction of movement of said sheets, said first and third pressure- -13 applying means holding said sheets together to prevent escape of fluid from between the portions of the sheets engaged by said first and third pressure-applying means, said second pressure-applying means providing a gap of limited separation between said sheets as they pass therebetween whereby said fluid may adhere as as a layer on said first surface and move therewith as it moves beyond said second pressure-apply means.

7. The apparatus defined by claim 6 in which said second sheet comprises an endless belt.

8. The apparatus defined by claim 6 wherein the third pressure-applying means located at one edge of said sheets holds the edge portions contacted thereby in abutting relationship except for an area intermediate said first and secondpressure-applying means, the apparatus also including means located proximate to said area for providing limited separation between said edge portions, said fluid being fed between said sheets at said area of limited separation.

9. The apparatus defined by claim 8 wherein said edgeseparating means comprises fluid-feeding means.

10'. The apparatus defined by claim 8 wherein said first and second pressure-applying means each comprise a pair of spaced rolls between which said sheets pas-s.

11. The apparatus defined by claim 8 in which said first and second pressure-applying means comprise a pair of troughlike members disposed on opposite sides of said sheets, each troughlike member having spaced lip portions for lcontacting the outer surfaces of said sheets, said lip portions being separated by a cavity provided therebetween.

12. The apparatus defined by claim 8 wherein said edge-separating means is in the form of a member extending between adjacent edge portions of said sheets in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of said sheets, said member having a cross-sectional configuration in the form of a substantially flattened ellipse.

13. The apparatus defined by claim 8 wherein the third pressure-applying means loc-ated at the other edge of said sheets holds the edge portions contacted thereby in abutting relationship.

14. The method of spreading a processing fluid on a first surface of a first sheet of photographic materal comprising the steps of: superposing said first surface with a surface of a second element; moving said superposed surfaces along a predetermined path in -a first direction; con-straining the relative outward movement of said surfaces at a predetermined point along said path to establish a maximum outer dimension of a predeterminedly shaped fluid-receiving cavity between said surfaces; hy-

draulically expanding said fluid-receiving cavity to its outer dimension by forcing a quantity of a pressurized processing fluid into said cavity and thereby causing a separation between said sheets; and causing portions of said fluid to adhere as a layer to successive portions of said first surface as said surfaces move relative to said point.

15. Apparatus for spreading a processing fluid on a first surface of a first photographic sheet comprising, in combination: means for superposing said first surface with a surface of a second element; means for moving said superposed surfaces along a predetermined path in a first direction; means located at a predetermined point along said path adjacent an edge of said surfaces for feeding a processing fluid between said surfaces; means engaging the outer surfaces of said sheet and said element for constraining relative movement of said surfaces to establish outer dimensions of a predeterminedly shaped fluidreceiving cavity between said surfaces; and a pressurized source of processing fluid connected to said feeding means for hydraulically expanding said fluid-receiving cavity to its outer dimensions by the introduction under pressure of said processing fluid through said feeding means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,029,922 2/1936 Heckel 156-295 2,307,833 1/1943 Frunk 156-295 2,435,719 2/1948 Land -13 2,435,720 2/1948 Land 95-13 2,635,048 4/1953 Land 96-29 2,647,056 7/1953 Land 96-29 2,797,625 7/1957 Fiairbank 95-13 2,800,946 7/1957 Steffen 156-152 2,956,494 10/1960 Tyler et a1. 95-89 X 2,971,445 2/ 1961 Orlando 95-89 X 2,975,094 3/1961 Anderson 156-152 3,099,582 7/1963 Ongstad et a1. 156-152 X 3,155,024 11/1964 Land 95-13 NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner.

PHILIP E. MANGAN, Examiner.

G. H. BJORGE, C. B. PRICE, Assistant Examiners. 

1. THE METHOD OF SPREADING A PROCESSING FLUID ON A FIRST SURFACE OF A FIRST SHEET OF PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIAL COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: SUPERPOSING SAID FIRST SURFACE WITH A SURFACE OF A SECOND SHEET MATERIAL; MOVING SAID SUPERPOSED SHEETS ALONG A PREDETERMINED PATH IN A PREDETERMINED DIRECTION; PHYSICALLY SEPARATING SAID SHEETS AT ADJACENT EDGE PORTIONS THEREOF BY AN AMOUNT SUFFICIENT TO PERMIT THE INTRODUCTION THEREBETWEEN OF A PROCESSING FLUID; GREATLY EXPANDING THE DISTANCE BETWEEN SAID SHEETS BY FORCING A PRESSURIZED PROCESSING FLUID BETWEEN SAID PHYSICALLY SEPARATED EDGE PORTIONS TO FORM A FLUID-FILLED 